New Project, feedback welcome...

[mike0775]

I am new to FCP X and after I posted my last project I received some really useful feedback, particularly from LethalWolf.

I thought I would post my second project, in the hope of receiving the same.

It was filmed on Sony HD camcorders bought for about £200 on Amazon and as I am actually in in the video, the camera work was done mostly by people who had never held one before...

Many thanks

Mike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErDhzfqGnHI

 

[Zwhaler]

Pretty good actually. Good choice of music, one of my favorite composers. Video doesn't run too long. It's supposed to be an advertisement for "Bungee Jumping Lessons", while the video is amusing in itself, it doesn't really do a lot in terms of selling bungee jumping lessons. However, for the style of marketing the video conveys (internet ad campaign) it does a good job. I didn't see anything wrong in terms of the overall camera work. In future videos I would think more television advertisement, and maybe see if you can shorten it a bit.

 

[mike0775]

Cheers.
Quite a few things I haven't tired out before with the video. A lot of the slowmo footage was deinterlaced with JES Deinterlacer, before having motion flow applied. Smoothed things out massively!

 

[LethalWolfe]

That was a lot of fun to watch. I think this video really hits the attitude/vibe that you said you were trying to get with the first video. It is 'everyman' but still well executed (it made me want to go bungee jumping).

The only things I'd change in the future are pretty minor.

Sound design on your logo. Motion graphics, especially something like the Go Activities logo, scream to have some subtle sound fx coupled with them. It really gives them life.

Close up shots. You had some good wide and medium shots but no closeups. Especially for online videos you need to utilize closeups since most people will be watching it in a small window (or on a mobile device). When the girl was on the computer I couldn't tell what she'd picked out, and then when it switched to the guy looking at the computer I saw the code but not the bridge jump because the code was what was highlighted. So all the build up was a total mystery to me and then when we got to the bridge I was like, "Cool, bungee jumping. Oh yeah, you said you were going bungee jumping in the last thread."

Solid job though. Way, way better than the last video. Building on what Zwhaler said, I'd be interested to see a 60 and maybe even 30 second version of this spot. Sometimes you feel like you have something pretty tight and lean but then you cut it down to its essence and it grabs you harder than you thought it would.


Lethal

P.S. Silence on the internet usually means people liked it. It seems that if there's not an opportunity to argue with someone or belittle them then people won't take the time to comment.

 

[mike0775]

Many thanks for that Lethal.

Having left it for a few days I can see what you mean. While I was putting it together I knew exactly where to look to extract the information I wanted from it (i.e. buying a bungee jumping voucher) but a few days later, that bit is confusing and you end up thinking "maybe he has decided to end it all... Oh, it's a bungee video..." I guess the lesson is trying to view it as someone viewing it for the first time, and making the key messages in a scene clearer.

It did also occur to me that it was getting a bit long, but after spending so long getting it all timed with the music, I just couldn't face gutting it and starting over...

Just so you know I took your advice from last time seriously:

"You do need long enough arms and a wide enough camera lens, as well as practice, so that the framing of the shots is still good (like you aren't cutting the bottom of your mouth off) but it might work for you guys. If you needed an little extra distance you could always attach the camera to a small pole."

Here is the padded pole I made to jump with (they actually wouldn't let me jump with it in the end! I actually had to just do it with my Sony HDR-CX115E Duct Taped to my hand!) But I am sure I will find a use for it!:


Also... I had a go at making a home made steady cam, which actually worked pretty well considering it cost about a tenner all in!

 

[cgbier]

The only thing - besides what Lethal has mentioned already - I'd change is to rotobrush out the heads at around :55-:58. They are distracting the viewer's eyes from the main event (your face)

Nicely done. The b/w gave a great mood, Vivaldi was a great match....

It's not easy, but cut it down to a broadcast friendly 30 or 60 seconds.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Here is the padded pole I made to jump with (they actually wouldn't let me jump with it in the end! I actually had to just do it with my Sony HDR-CX115E Duct Taped to my hand!) But I am sure I will find a use for it!:

LOL, now you trying to jump w/the pole then having to duct tape the camera to your hand is behind the scenes I'd like to see!


Lethal

EDIT: Now you are graduating to the 'slaying your babies' level of editing which means no matter how much you like something, how awesome it is or how hard you worked to get it, sometimes you have to kill it for the greater good of the project.